New Flanders Flag Christened Next Week

Flanders will raise its new hamlet flag designed by Shannon Merker, a 17-year-old junior at Bishop McGann-Mercy High School in Riverhead, in a special ceremony at Flanders Memorial Park next Tuesday, June 11 at 10 a.m.

The flag features in image of The Big Duck—a famous Flanders landmark—along with the date of the hamlet‘s founding, 1648, and the words “Home of the Big Duck” on a blue, white and green pond scene. It was officially adopted by the Southampton Town Board on May 14 of this year, but Merker conceived of the flag years ago, when she was in the fifth grade.

Over years, Merker followed her dream to fruition by sending it to Town Councilman Chris Nuzzi and gathering approvals of various local civic groups, before Town officials agreed to adopt it as the official flag for the hamlet of Flanders this year.

After Flanders‘ new flag is raised next week, it will remain at Flanders Memorial Park (Flanders Road, intersection of Fanning Road) and fly above the hamlet‘s community center for many years to come.